?

Monday, April 30, 2012

Ok....since Blogger is gonna do away with the old post editor next month, I've switched to the new one to give it another try. From what I'm look'n at, the editor is exactly the same as the old one. Just that some of the options are located in different locations. Can't be as bad as eveybody is say'n....can it?

Boy howdy....sure didn't want to get up this morn'n. Layed in bed last night toss'n an' turn'n think'n bout this trip to Georgia. Yeah, I'm go'n to Georgia. What I'm think'n, if'n I leave here bout thursday, I can be at "Roberto's RV Resort" (sons back yard) by late next week. It's a 5 day trip (1000 mile) at 200 mile a day.

Was talk'n to my son Robert last night and the more I tole him bout the repairs we were gonna do, the less enthusiastic he became. Just a couple three days ago he were all excitis, jump'n up and down....."we can do it dad....come on". Been a long time since my son worked for me.....had a beat him with a stik to get him to do anything. He a growed man now, but I still have a stik.

As much as I hate to, I got to start pick'n up all my tools and stuff what is lay'n outside. Probably gonna be a all day job. But somebody got to do it.

Oh, before I forget. My nephew Joseph has one them antenna thingys just like the OFM Barney has got. I were ask'n him bout the connection on the end. He said he had another one in storage I could try. It's a little magnetic antenna with the same connection as my adapter. We hook it up and my internet go from zero bars to 2 bars. Cain't beat a deal like that....free.

Sunday, April 29, 2012

Well shoot....don't know what to say. Seems like every day there's less to talk about.

So what am I gonna talk about today. Yesterday??? That's a good subject since I ain't done nuttin today. What I was gonna do in 330 minutes yesterday turned into an all day affair. Pull'n stuff out cabinets, clean'n stuff what nobody sees, fill'n a couple trash bags (toss'n junk),.....did you know bugs grow in open containers of flour and corn meal? I spend an hour clean'n the cabinets over the couch. That where I keep all my dry "flour" goods. They ain't there no more and all the inside them cabinets is clean as a whistle. Got me bout 6 boxes bullets, shotgun shells, bb's, pellets, firecrackers an' other stuff what blows up in there too.

I were read'n the Texas gun laws this morn'n. Can't say that I agree with them as written. You would think that Texas, being a cowboy state, would allow ya to carry a big ol' gun on your side in open view, but they don't, ya got to conceal it. Ya see, the State of Texas is short on funds so you have to "purchase" an concealed weapon permit for $140....checks made payable to Governor Rick Perry....or something like that. Seniors over 60 get a 50% discount. What a deal. But, what I was really look'n for was having my guns in open view in "Sally da house". In Texas, an RV is considered the same as a house....ya can even put neekid pics on your walls if'n ya want to.

That dad burn Dizzy Dick done went to the drag races today an' didn't invite the old Billy Bob. I remember back many years when I was a drag rac'n fool. Went every chance I got. Love the sound of big ol' engines and the smell of burnt rubber. Built a couple drag racers back then, but they was also street legal. I'm guess'n my 1974 AMC Javelin was bout the fastest and best look'n of them all.

Note: This is not my Javelin. Stoled from internet for comparison.
360, dual 4 on a highriser, hull race roller cam, high slip torque converter, 4 inches headers, 10 inches cheater slicks.....all sweet stuff. It were hot...git 8 mile a gallon on the highway, 4 mile a gallon in town.
Should I mention RPM's and get "doubter" BBC in a uproar? He don't "no nuttin" bout cars. Shift rpm was 6800 to 7200 , depending on track conditions and ambient temp.
Red line 8500 pump'n raw fuel out the headers. Stick that in yer hat master mechanic BBC.

Although, the 1970 AMC AMX was a hot little bugger too. Boy howdy....memories. What would we do without them?

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Ok, got that out of the way. Read all the blogs, depressing news, Yahoo groups, checked email and now I have nuttin to do.

Well, that ain't exactly true. I took a look around me this morn'n and says...."My God Billy Bob, do something". This place is a disaster. Shoes lay'n all over the floor. Bags of groceries from last weeks Walmart encounter. Fry pan an' coffee cups....bags of trash. Well, it ain't really that bad. Thirty minutes and I'm done.

Went to town yesterday in "that jeep". Don't remember what for, but I did. Oh yeah....laundry. Now let me tell ya bout do'n laundry in a small town. First off, it gonna cost ya a fortune. At $1.75 a washer load and $1.50 per dryer, ya better take a bunch of quarters. Speak'n of dryer. When I reach in to retrieve my dried clothes I jump back like I done been bit by a snake. Them clothes was 2 hunnert degrees or more. I could smell the beginnings of a fire. Burn my fingers. I had to wait 20 minutes for them to cool enough to fold. Good thing I didn't have any no plastic clothes in there.

Speak'n of "that jeep". I turn on the dash air in hopes of hav'n a cool trip to town. What the hell?? That damn thing is done leak out half my freon. What is it with this Jeep? For those what been follow'n my blog for the last 2 or 3 years know all bout "that jeep". Every time I turn around, something new is wrong with it. You would think that by now old Billy Bob would have it all fix up like a brand spank'n new one. But it ain't. Still a piece of junk. Ride like a truck....squeak and rattle. Grrrrrrrrrr......

Well, off to the salt mines. Break out the vacuum, finish wash windows, tote some trash..........wash sum dishes.....laters.
*****************************************************************************

12:30pm....
Holy crap, I ain't never gonna get this stuff done. I been pick'n stuff up an run'n that vacuum for the last 2 hour and still got more to go. But that could be from a little 10 or 30 minute break every once in a while. Where did I accumulate all this stuff? Got enough to fill a dumpster. The I still got the windows to do and the damn dishes. Don't ya just hate do'n dishes??? I do.

Boy howdy, I'm one to change his mind worster than a woman. Yeah, I'm talk'n bout go'n to Georgia. May be chang'n my mind again. Had a couple conversations with a couple my sons and that don't make matters look no better. When my son says "he" will repair my slide outs and "he" will install the wood floor....I get's all skeered an' nervous. The old Billy Bob is one what don't take no orders from nobody. Ya don't tell him what he gonna do. He do things his way. This trip is centered around repairs to "da house", not some old pick'em up truck or another camp'n trailer what needs repairs. Ya got that son???

Friday, April 27, 2012

Don't do me no good with all this fangled new stuff. Switched back to the old blogger post thingy. I'll get the hang of the new one, but not today. I've read some bloggers use Word and other editors to post their blogs, but....why? What's wrong with this one? Don't it take longer to write your blog in Word, then cut and paste it from Word, then put your photos in, then edit, then hit the "publish post" button? Just ask'n.

For some odd reason I ain't at all excited bout a trip to Georgia. Although I will be see'n bout 18 of my grand young'uns and 5/7th's my kids what I ain't see in almost 2 years, go camp'n up in the mountains for a week or so, do some lake fish'n an' camp'n, free food, free camp site,....did I mention free food. Now I'm get'n excited.

Today is got to be laundry day. I'm down to my last pair of Wranglers, and they don't fit. Although....they are the same size as the rest. I rekon it all depends what Country makes them if they gonna fit or not. I hate do'n laundry, if'n ya didn't know. Do ya sort your clothes when ya wash 'em? I don't, unless jeans in 2 washers is sort'n. Do ya use them pretty smell'n dryer sheets? I don't....don't want to smell like a meadow full of flowers. Most wimmins would cringe at the way I do my laundry. Clean is all what matters. Wrinkles....ehh, who cares?

Don't know why, but I waked up way too early this morn'n. It was still dark outside and nobody gets up in the dark.....do they? Old "pesky neighbor" Wayne used to brag bout get'n up at 4am. I ask him what he do till the sun comes up. He said "nuttin". Case closed. No sense get'n up in the dark, cain't see nuttin and then don't do nuttin for hours. That why God invented a snooze button on alarm clocks.

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Well no I ain't got all the windows washed yet. I been busy do'n other stuff. Filled my fresh water tank, put out my gray water drain hose, washed all the outside of the winders, picked up some tools what was lay'n on the ground....sip'ed a cup and done some think'n. That was my excit'n day for yesterday.

The way I'm think'n, I'll be out of here in bout a week, headed for the peach state. But....I ain't fully committed myself to that trip yet. There's lots of things to be considered. Like where we gonna go camp'n an' fish'n. Son Robert wants to go to the north Ga. mountains, what I always enjoy, but I ain't put'n "bubba boat" in no river and end up 20 mile downstream and have to walk back. Hell, I could drown in that river and nobody know nuttin bout it.

The winds in south Texas has put a stop sign at all the fish'n holes. Yesterday morn'n was look'n good for a nice day on the water, but by noon, the winds were blow'n 20 mile a hour. I could go fish off'n the bank somewheres or a fish'n pier, but that ain't what I want to do. I'm talk'n bout the "bubba boat" when I'm talk'n fish'n. Maybe the winds will lay down for one good day of fish'n before I leave the area.

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Ok? So this is the new blogger publish'n thingy? From what I'm look'n at right now, it's the same as the old one. Just moved some stuff around a little bit.

Ya know, in real life, they do that too. Just to keep some engineer on the payroll and away from Ms Mini Shirt, he's assigned to redisign what he redesigned last week and the month before. Google has got lots of spare
change lay'n round, so it's important to keep redisigners busy redesign'n stuff. Not that it makes any difference to the general public like us....we gonna complain anyhows. Get'n used to the new format is gonna be something like get'n used to wear'n seat belts and stuff like that.

Well, yesterday I didn't get all them windows all clean an' shiny like I said I was gonna do. Still got the big ol' "picture winder" front glass windshields to clean and two more side windows. Ya see, it's like this.....me and nephew took off to town and ate up some Mexican food for lunch. A great big ol' heap'n pile of it. Enough for 4 people. What brung on a nap. A long nap. The rest is history.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Well shoot, here it is another day already. What happened to yesterday.....gone, poooof, just like that.

First project this morn'n is to clean some nasty grimy dirty windows. With a mixture of ammonia and water I start spray'n an' wipe'n. Holy cows, where all that dirt and grime come from? I rekon if'n ya only wash winders once a year or so, they gonna be dirty. This project shouldn't take long with what few windows I have. Might just as well wash the winder screens too.

The next project is to do some battery maintenance. Seems I have some corrosion build up on some of the positive terminals. Bought me up some spray stuff to kill the acid, but ya got to wash it off with a water hose. The water hose don't reach this far and with my 2 added hoses, it still don't reach this far. That means "move "da house" closer to the water hose.
Ok....never mind. Nephew Joseph just came home from the oil fields. We gonna go get water from town to fill the water tank with drink'n an' coffee water.

Again this morning, it looked like a fish'n day in the "bubba boat". But that didn't last long before the wind start blow'n. It's blow'n 13 mile a hour here in Sinton and by mid afternoon it will be pick'n up to a slight gale. So no fish'n again today.

Monday, April 23, 2012

Most of ya know I have a son working over in Afghanistan as an electrician. This is the son that makes more money than 3 women can spend in a week at Macy's department store. He just returned back to Afghanistan after a couple weeks at home here in the States. With all the turmoil what is go'n on over there, he will be returning back to the States bout the end of May....job finished, shut 'er down. Everybody go home.

I remember back a time when I was mak'n good money. I owned a refrigeration business in Texas City/LaMarque area. I would sort through the service calls and pick out the ones what paid "cash" money. Jump in the truck and go to work. This was back at a time when a service call was $7.50 a hour. So ya had to work long hours if'n ya wanted to make "good money". A hunnert dollar a day was the goal. That mean I have to sell lots of freon and parts.

I remember one service call I went on to a little shack where this old fisherman feller had poked a hole in his freezer try'n to defrost it. The freezer was stuffed plumb full of crabs, fish and stuff. Unloaded all them crabs to the table next to my coffee cup. This would be a typical "ice pick in evaporator" repair. While we was sit'n there sip'n a cup and talk'n, them crabs was thaw'n out. Out the corner my eye, I see something move. What the hell? Them crabs is alive. Crawl'n round on the table. Pinch'n stuff. That old fisherman feller like to fall out his chair laugh'n at my expression. He 'splain to me that crabs are like bears....they hibernate...or something like that.
Note: After a little internet research, crabs do not hibernate. So why did the crabs on the table come back to life?

Still at odds if'n I'm gonna go to Georgia or not. Deep down I know I need to get "da house" back to tip top shape if'n I'm gonna live in it the rest of my life. This is what happens when ya don't fix stuff when it breaks. Put'n repairs off only cause more problems and cost a bigger chunk of change. Had I replaced the slide out awning fabric when it blew out, we probably wouldn't be hav'n this conversation. Rip'n out the carpet and replac'n it with a wood floor....yeah, I think I'm gonna do that. I'll probably glue it down like I did in "Alice", my first motorhome.

Turned out a to be good move and never buckled up or warped. Plus the glue/adhesive or what ever ya call it, helped seal the sub floor against water.

This will the be the method of installation in "Sally da house".

I sure did intend to go fish'n this morn'n. But that idea bit the dust real quick like with the wind blow'n like it is. I knowed I should have gone yesterday when there was just a little breeze, but climb'n on the roof put a hurt'n on the old back and hip. Had to take the day off an' "do nuttin".

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Looks pretty nice out there, but damn, it's 47 degrees. What can you do outside when it's freez'n cold? It's not a whole bunch better inside neither....58 degs. "Turn on some heat Billy Bob".

I was think'n bout all that stuff I wrote yesterday bout rip'n out the carpet in "da house" and replacing it with a wood floor. Now why would I want to do that? I can think of a hunnert reasons why, but I can also think of a hunnert reasons why not. The way I'm think'n, I'm 70 years old, don't entertain visitors on a regular basis, it's just me and Sadie Mae....what the hell do I need a "pretty" wood floor for? Although, it would make a great project. And as everybody knows, I do like my projects.

Speak'n of wood floors, I don't "no nuttin" bout no wood floors. They are maintenance free....for a while, easy to clean and they are pretty to look at. But other than that, what advantage are they? The recommended installation of a wood floor (laminate, Prego....what ever ya want to call it) is to "float". No nails. No glue. Just throw it down and it's done. Something bout expansion and contraction. Being that the old Billy Bob is "old school", I'm gonna be do'n some research on floating floors.

The old Billy Bob is get'n what some vagabond travelers call "road fever". I were sit'n outside last night sip'n up a cup an' got to think'n......I could hook up and be out of here in a hour. Decided I better sleep on it before I make any rash decisions. Well I slept on it. Now I don't know what I was think'n. A few years ago I didn't need a reason to hook up and go, but I damn sure better have a good reason now. I ain't so young anymore. Hook'n up is a chore.....like work. And then, there ain't nowhere I really want to go. I'll have to sleep on that.

Ok....gonna find me something to do before I decide to "do nuttin". I'll be Bach.....Squarshnagger.

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Everyone should be aware that in order to renew your prescriptions for a YEAR, not 30 day or 90 days, you need to visit your doctor on the appointed date of your evaluation/follow-up appointment. There is probably a government mandated law to this effect. I have done the 30 day thing before. That's no problem. I need a YEAR supply of mind altering drugs in order to travel to any destination, at any time, throughout the year. So no more talk bout getting a 30 day prescription....OK?

I think one more discussion was made bout me go'n to Ga. to visit family and con 4 of my sons into work'n on "da house", with my supervision of course. I'll be do'n some serious think'n on that in the coming days.

Yesterday, right bout noon thirty.....I took off to go fish'n. There was only a slight breeze blow'n when I left Sinton, Texas, 30 some miles from my secret fish'n hole. Arriving at the intended launch area for the "bubba boat", the winds had increased to a slight gale. Won't be no fish'n today.

On the return trip back to "da house", I stopped by the Lowes lumber and hardware sell'n place in Aransas Pass. Just look'n round ya know. I came to the hardwood floor'n section and BOY HOWDY....thems are some good look'n pieces of wood. I picked out a few that I visualized as a new floor for "da house". Wish I had took a few pics of my many choices.....camera was in my pocket. Looks like for less than $800, the old Billy Bob can have a maintenance free beautiful wood floor all the ways from the driver seat back to the bedroom. This carpet has got to go.

This is close to one of my picks.....stolen from Lowes web site.

Between the little town of Taft and Sinton I hit a batch of rain....and hail. It were so bad I had to pull off the highway and wait till I could see the hood of "that jeep" before proceeding down the road a piece. I was in a hurry since I had left the slide outs OUT. Was I gonna find a flooded house when I arrived? Fortunately, Sinton had received very little rain. All was good.

And then....I found this package lay'n on the ground. It was my slide out awning fabric. Yee ha....that were fast....ordered tuesday. Now all I got to do is climb up there on the roof....Grrrrrrrr. According to the instructions, yeah I can do it. "Instructions??? You read the instructions"???

Men folk usually don't read instructions 'cause they already know how they gonna do something. Then if'n it don't work, they revert to read'n the instructions.

Ok, got a few things to do this morn'n.....laters.

Ok, it's 4:15 and boy howdy. Installed both them awning fabrics....all by my lonesome. It's a two man job, but I had another man in my pocket. Like to never got the first one in 'cause it were tight. Mix up some dish soap an' water and it be a done deal.

Have ya ever see a piece of wood what look like yours? Well I did, so's I put my name on it.

What the hell??? That ain't the way that pic was supposed to show up. Dad burn Blogger do what it want to.

That all I gonna do for one day. I can scratch this day off as a good day.

Friday, April 20, 2012

Well hell no I didn't go fish'n yesterday. I didn't work on the slide out neither. But I did get my new tackle bag thingy all fill up with my fresh water fish'n stuff. The smaller bag is all fill up with my salt water fish'n stuff. Deflated the "bubba boat" and loaded it back in "that jeep". That took over 4 hours with a couple three coffee breaks and some think'n.

Speak'n of think'n, here what I got on my mind. Yes it's work related.....along with some fish'n and stuff like that. From where I'm located, Sinton, Texas, it's 1000 mile to my sons house in Douglasville, Ga. I'm think'n if'n he cuts a few trees down, I can get "Sally da house" in his back yard where we can pull the living room slide out slap out the wall, tear all this damn carpet out and install a all wood floor.....and be done with it for the rest of my life. With other son Ronny coming home from Afghanistan in June, that's one more helper. Way I figger it, 2 weeks to 2 months and it's all done. But then again, I'm just sit'n here sip'n a cup and do'n some think'n.

That leaves the question of what to do bout "that jeep". Tags expire in June. Dr. appointment in June. Prescriptions expire in June.
Ok....take that back. The Jeep registration don't expire till Aug 31st 2012. Yee Ha....that good news. Now all I got to do is figger out how to get my prescriptions renewed without driv'n all the way to Deming....800 miles. I have all my records.......suggestions welcomed.

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Holy cows!!! I remember when I could go to Walmart and spend $100 for my entire shop'n list.....and then some "can't do withouts". Yesterdays Walmart experience was well over that $100 I usually spend. Things were fall'n off the shelves right into my buggy.

On my shop'n list was 4 little plastic fish'n boxes for all the new worms, lures and hooks I bought previously. While I was look'n at these little plastic fish'n boxes, comparing prices an' stuff, this big ol' container fell off'n the shelf. I picks it and says...."what the hell is this"? Hey, lookie here, it has 4 little plastic fish'n boxes in it. And a gazillion pockets for more fish'n stuff. That will fit perfect in the milk crate I put in the "bubba boat".

After close examination of prices and such, it was decided that this item was a must have. The little plastic fish'n boxes are priced at $5 each if buy'n seperately, while this whole fish'n bag thingy was only $5 more. What a deal.

Today is a beautiful day for fish'n. Yesterday was a beautiful day for fish'n. Any day is a beautiful day for fish'n.....if'n ya dress right for it. I started fish'n many years ago when I was just a little tyke. Go down to the creek with a long stick, some string, a hook and some worms dug out the garden. Don't remember if'n I ever catched any fish, but I sure did like sit'n on the bank fish'n. I were only 6 years old ya know. Maybe there weren't no fish in that ol' creek....hell I don't know. Really don't matter does it, as long as you're fish'n?

Boy howdy!! When I got back from shop'n an' stuff yesterday, I open the door to "da house" and "it stink in here". Smell like old stale water....or something like that. The carpets have pretty much dried up by now, but it still stinks. "Febreze Billy Bob....spray Febreze on it". If'n ya recall, I were gonna shampoo the carpet. Well I didn't have any shampoo for the shampooer thingy. But I do now. What if? What if I mixed some Febreze in with the shampoo? Ya think that would get rid of the nasty stink smell? Or maybe put some mouthwash in it.

So what ya gonna do today Billy Bob? Hell I don't know.....eat a donut I guess. First thing I gonna do is fill up that fish'n box thingy with fish'n stuff. Deflate an' load up "bubba boat" and my fish pole in "that jeep".....maybe go fish'n later. It's a toss up of fish'n or work'n on "da house". Both are important ya know.

Ain't no sense talk'n bout them slide outs this morn'n. They got me all frustrated and irritable. I don't use the word irritable much in my vocabulary....it's usually "pissed off" or something like that. Damn slide outs!!!!

To give BBC a better idea what I was talk'n bout the slides being 2 inches wider at the bottom.....here what I talk'n bout.

Actually I don't think they are wider, just that the top is not going out as far as the bottom.Don't think they ever have since day one.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

When I first retired in Jan of 02, Port Aransas, Texas was my home base. Believe it or not, in 2002, Port A was affordable at any of the RV parks in town. I think at that time I was pay'n $175 a month for a nice spacious site what I rented long term. Plus electric of course. Don't even think bout it in 2012, where the lowest prices are in the $450 a month range. I still have a "domicile" address there, a post office box and a bank account. A local business service handles my mail for me....at a price. I still consider Port Aransas my home base, but seldom camp there and only visit to pick up my mail and eat up some Mexican food at San Juan's Mexican Restaurant.

What does this have to do with "time is short"? Well let me tell ya. I need to be places. Take care of business ya know. Like "that jeep". The registration runs out in June. It's registered in New Mexico ya know, so that means I have to be there for that. Note: New Mexico does not mail out registration notices on a regular basis and online registration (tried that) don't work as well as it does in Texas. And then, there's Dr. Fronkinsteen, my heart doctor what pisses me off with his stress test gibber gabber. I ain't do'n no stink'n stress test. My medications expire in May, so I have to be in Deming for that. And then, we got old "pesky neighbor" Wayne to visit. But I'm run'n out of time. Probably take me 2 or 3 weeks to get there once I leave south Texas.

How long will it take me to leave south Texas? Well that all depends on how much "fix'n" I get done. The slide outs are still caus'n me to pull my hair out every time I think bout them. Spent a couple 3 hours online yesterday research'n repairs and adjustments. To no avail. Although I did find out who makes them....out of business. Found the adjustment procedures.......mine are within specs......(well maybe), but I gonna mess with them anyhows. One top corner is not going all the way out....1/2 inch shy. And then I notice the to bottom of the slide outs are wider than the tops by 2 inches. Why and "what the hell"??

That damn goat!!! I look outside this morn'n and he stand'n in the "bubba boat". Just look'n at stuff. By the time I got the camera out, he was gone.....poooof, just like that. Ya see, he's skeered of old Billy Bob. I holler at him and wave my arms in the air......"get out of here ya stoopit goat". Throw firecrackers at him. That works. BOOOM....goat gone.

Boy howdy, I got to make a trip today. Got to go to Port A to pick up mail. Go to Walmart. Go to lumber yard....maybe. Get a bite to eat. I know a good Mexican restaurant in Aransas Pass that serves the best sizzl'n fajitas in south Texas. What ya think???

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Boy howdy, things look a little different this morn'n through these old eyes. Little bit cool here, but not so bad that I need a heater to warm the old bones.

Let's get down to the bare facts bout "Sally da house" since things have been on the down side with the slide out rooms lately. BBC suggests that I should probably dump "da house" an' buy me a pick up truck and a 5th wheel. Before I retired in 2001 (January 14th, 2002), I had took a look at 5th wheels and big ol' pick'em ups. That was not the way I wanted to travel. So's I bought an old used 1989 Open Road by Tiffin 30 foots motorhome...."Alice" named by first mate Vickie Lynn. Later, "Ralph", the 1984 "little red bronco" was added to the fleet as a tow behind go anywheres vehicle. Alice and Ralph were good choices.....God rest their souls.

As with any "house", something is gonna go wrong at some unforeseen time. "Sally da house" is no exception. This is my home, I live here 24 hours a day....things will break. Then they got to be fixed. Some fixes are easier than others and some fixes require a strong back and a sound mind. To which I have neither. I ain't say'n I'm dumb or anything like that, but when "stoopit" pops his head up over the hedge row, look out. Yup, the old Billy Bob let stupid slip into his life.

Ya see' it's like this....them house jacks (railroad jacks) I were us'n to lift the slide outs for minor repairs were left extended when they should have been throwed on the ground out the way. When I pushed the button to bring the slide out "in", them damn jacks was in the way. So naturally, the slide out didn't go "in" all the way. Then the rains came. But that's only part of it. Remember them slide out awnings what blowed out a couple years ago? They designed to keep water off the tops of the slide out so's it don't find a way inside the house to ruin your carpet an' rot out your floors. Did I make a mistake when I bought a motorhome with slide outs? No, not really. I just need to fix stuff when it breaks, not two years later.

Ok....on with life as a full time RV'er. Since some of the carpet is still wet from the downpour and the carpet shampooer is sit'n in the middle of the floor, how bout we shampoo the carpet? A little more water ain't gonna hurt nuttin and the carpet sure could use a good clean'n. But first.....order the slide out awning material.

Monday, April 16, 2012

Yeee Ha.....boy howdy, you talk bout some rain. I rekon this is the rain we was supposed to get 2 days ago all roll up in one gigantic thunder buster.

When the storm started last night, I put the living room slide out "in" to attempt to seal it against any water getting inside. Apparently that didn't work too well as the floor is saturated with a pond of water. This is not a good sign any ways you look at it. Now where the hell is my wet or dry shop vac? And why did the sealing gaskets at the top of the slide out not seal? Damn!!! This is not going to be a good day.

Disasters like this make me want to just give up and go live in a refrigerator box under a bridge somewheres.

Broke out the shampooer to pick up water. Boy howdy, there is a bunch. Now this may not sound like a big deal, get'n a little water on the floor, but down under that carpet an' pad'n, is a wood floor what will soften and rot if it stays wet for any length of time. Back to the draw'n board Billy Bob. This gonna be a fix to remember.

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Ok, so I missed mak'n a post yesterday. I can do that ya know, but if anybody else does it, I'll be on ya. Dad burn blogs!!!

To catch up from a day of "do'n nuttin" is gonna be simple. This could be it. Don't need to write no more.
But you know the old Billy Bob, he gonna say something. Yesterday was a "nuttin" day 'cause I climbed on the roof friday afternoon. It weren't the climb'n on the roof, but get'n my foot high enough for that first step.

With a messed up back, ya don't do that. Be like put'n your foot up on the kitchen counter so's ya can reach to overhead cabinets. Well I couldn't quite get my foot up that high, so's I grabs holt one them concrete blocks to lug over there to the ladder to use as a little booster step. Well, I paid for it all day yesterday. When I were younger, I could have climbed up the side of "da house" without a freak'n ladder. Jump over fences an' stuff.
"What was ya do'n on da roof Billy Bob"? Well, ya see, a few years ago, the awnings over the slide outs blowed all to hell. Ripped the material slap off'n them. Gone....pooof, just like that. Gonna replace them....that what I gonna do. Not know'n the brand and size, I had to climb up there an' get the information before I could order the new material. Order'n stuff online is fine and dandy with me, but I needed to know how long it takes for delivery. So's I calls them on my cell phone. This is on friday, but there ain't nobody home. This could be a red flag. Will call them back monday morn'n.

Boy howdy, you talk bout the wind blow'n up a gale. The weather people said it would blow 40 mile a hour with gusts to 50 something. I think they were right. Then last night, they said there was flash flood warnings for here. That would mean rain.....lots of rain. Ha....not a drop at old Billy Bob's house. But the winds never quit all night long. Blow'n good this morn'n with thrunderstorm warnings for the next few days.

Now that the "bubba boat" is all fix up for for cruis'n the high seas, I probably gonna need to install a fish finder so's I know where the fish live.

Friday, April 13, 2012

Age does make a difference. Take a bottle of cheap wine, set it on a shelf in the basement for a few years and you got you a bottle of "connoisseurs delight" special aged wine. That's kind of what it's like for us older folks....we age gracefully and our flavor peaks beyond recognition. Think bout that for a while, you may agree.

But then......aging can go the other way.....it sours. Turns into a distasteful bottle of "cheap wine".....as do some of the aging older folks. They become grumpy/grouchy. Lose respect for their fellow mankind. Criticize neighbors and friends. Attack those they consider "dumb/stupid". They ban these people from their lives due to the presumption that "they don't think like me". All wine does not age the same way.

Oh boy, what to do today? First thing happen this morn'n, that damn goat was in the "that jeep" eat'n cigarette butts. Ya see, I left the back hatch open last night. I rekon that goat can smell a cigarette butt a mile away, so's he climbed all the way to the front seat and was chow'n down. Rena, niece in law, run him slap out before I could get a photo. Would'a been a good'un that's for sure.

While I were sit'n outside yesterday, I notice some rocks mov'n. What the hell is mov'n them rocks? So's I watch for a while. It's some kind of bug.....little bug bout a quarter inches long. Ya probably already got it figger out that it's a "doodle bug"....right? Well old Billy Bob ain't never see a doodle bug. All he ever see is the little upside down volcanoes they build.

Now I been see some ugly bugs in my life, but if I run into this sucker in a dark ally, I'm out of there. Any little quarter inches bug what can move rocks 10 times his size deserves some kind of respect.

So I watched that doodle bug as he cleared an area of big rocks and start dig'n, throw'n rocks an' stuff out his way.
In 10 minutes he had completed his volcano hole and went to sleep....or what ever they do in that hole. That was my excitement for the day.

Ok, since I got me some help today, I'm gonna make an adjustment to the liv'n room slide out. Attempt to relieve some weight off that end roller so's it don't go through the floor any more than it already has. If I break something, I'll take a pic of it. Otherwise no photos. Still undecided what to do with the adjustment to the bedroom slide out.
Am I confus'n some of ya that don't know what a "slide out is"? In the RV'n world, a slide out is a room that slides out to make the area more spacious. Mine slides out bout two feets what makes my liv'n room 10 feet wide instead of 8 feets wide. You can dance in here if'n ya want to. Well, after I pick up all my junk lay'n on the floor. "Sheesh Billy Bob, you don't know nuttin bout house clean'n".

Have ya ever notice when ya talk like a redneck people is gonna think you is a redneck? The perception that a redneck don't know nuttin is just a perception....not fact. I'll leave it at that for you to ponder for the rest of the day. Now I got things to do.....fix stuff ya know....redneck style.

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Was just sit'n here mind'n my own business an' I says...."check the track'n number on that camera....where it at". Well shoot, it arrived at the post office 2 hours ago. I jumps in "that jeep" lickity split and pick up my package with no problem.
Got back to the ranch an' tears the package open. "That one good look'n camera ya got there Billy Bob".

Yeah it are.....but.....I may not like it. The zoom feature is not what I had expected. 5x optical zoom and 2.6 digital zoom, for a total of 13x. Oh never mind.....just read the instructions. Got 20x zoom.....now that what I'm talk'n bout. And then, all the controls are built in instead of the little dial thingy. It weighs a little more than the Cannon A3300 'cause it uses 2 AA batteries and it's a little thicker on one end....that where ya put the batteries. The only reason I bought this particular camera was for the viewfinder feature and 16 mega pixel quality.

Oh yeah before I forgets. I fount the refrigerant leak on "that jeep". Ain't something I can "fix" just like that. The front 'o' ring on the compressor is leaking. The clutch assembly would need removed to get to the bolts and old Billy Bob ain't got no clutch puller. So....the way I figger is, "let 'er leak". Add some refrigerant when needed. For what a clutch puller and another freon charge would cost, I can run another 2 or 3 years adding freon for what it would cost to "fix" it.

That's the morning news. Stay tuned for updates "as the world turns".
********************************************************************************

2pm......Couldn't just sit around do'n nuttin, so I blowed up the "bubba boat" and installed some modified rod holders. Boy howdy, I gonna like that.

Betcha I know what I gonna do now. That couch sure do look invit'n.....maybe a little nap?

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Boy howdy, "that was close". Ya see, after I drop off my prescriptions for refill at Walmart, I was headed to Academy in Corpus Christi. Buy me up some fish'n stuff ya know. Bout a mile from the exit, this great big ol' concrete truck slips into my lane, right in front of me, scatter'n traffic in all directions. He musta been do'n bout a hunnert mile a hour. Then out of nowheres and for no reason, he slams on the brakes. White smoke pour'n off'n his tires....com'n to a stop. "Stop Billy Bob, we gonna crash". I clamps on my binders....white smoke pour'n off'n my tires. That scare the hell out the guy behind me. He clamps on his binders too......white smoke pour'n off'n his tires. This kind of stuff ain't supposed to happen if'n you're pay'n 'tention. Boy howdy, old Billy Bob was some kind of nervous.

While at Academy I fount me a "bubba boat" battery. Now I mean to tell ya, this battery would last 2 or 3 days of heavy fish'n on some Texas lake or out in the Gulf of Mexico. It were a 12 volts, 23 amp hour, deep cycle type battery.....and only $49 and some change. Did I buy it? Well hell no. But at least I know where to get it if needed. You can assured, before I leave the area, I'll be the proud owner of a 23 amp hour trolling motor battery.
**************************************************************************
1:30pm
Here I were gonna lay back an' take it easy the rest of the day....but duty calls. Fix'n stuff ya know.

Pull out my air conditioning equipment a started in on fix'n the dash air on "that jeep". Put bout a quarter ounce ultraviolet dye in the system along with a couple cans of R-134A. Crank it up and let 'er run....circulate the dye ya know. While I was under the hood I see some water. What the hell, I just fixed that. With a new part even. Turned the bolts bout a quarter turn tighter.....just before I break a bolt, I stop. Then that damn goat stole my rag, turn my coffee over and knock my little tool container on the ground. Betcha he done eat that rag plumb up. Stupit goat.

Lowered the bedroom slide out and push that button. Go in and out with no problem. Gasket still in place. But.....just look'n at it, I'm think'n it needs to be adjusted "up" bout a half inches or so. That's where I have to disassemble my bed. Grrrrrrr....hate the thought of that. If that's what has got to be done, I guess I'll do it. Just not today.

Then I went out to adjust the front gate to "El Rancho Abraham RV Resort". Boy howdy I done tackle a job there. Stripped and cross threaded nuts an' bolts. Finally got it where it don't drag the ground no more and the little flip lock thingy lines up with the other gate. Up town gate now.

Ok.....think I'll eat me up a sammich, fix another pot of coffee and take me a nice nap. I done enough for one day. Maybe.........

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

What do ya do when ya don't got nuttin to do? Well, it ain't exactly like I ain't got nuttin to do, I just don't want to do nuttin.

Today was the day nephew Joe was gonna jack up the front of "that jeep" and wiggle stuff to see why go'n down the road a hunnert mile a hour (45 to 55) I get the dreaded "death wobble". If'n ya don't know what death wobble is, think of a wash machine on the spin cycle with a unbalanced load. It gonna walk all over the wash room floor an' out the back door. Scare the hell out ya yeah it do. Or you can just Google "death wobble". But anyhows, nephew Joe got called back to the oil fields last night....a day early. Seems one the crane operators set the crane 8 feets from where they was gonna drill. Or something like that. So....."that jeep" is on hold till he returns back to the ranch.

Sure are want'n to lower that bedroom slide out back down into position and see how my repair turned out. I get like that ya know....impatient. Know'n how good ATV silicone works, I'm confident the seal will remain in place. But to be extra cautious, I'll spray slide out lubricant on the sides and bottom of the slide out room. Slick it up a bit.

Then on the other slide out, I'm gonna do one more thing. Add a 1/4 inches piece of plastic under the room to relieve weight on the roller what is sit'n on soft flooring. The plastic will ride on the roller right next door bout 2 feets away from the roller in question. Of course this means lug'n them concrete blocks and jacks back to the other side "da house". Damn, I'm get'n tired of lug'n stuff.

Ok.....got me a good cool shower....all clean up like go to church meet'n.....think I'll head down the road a piece. Walmart of course....go on down to Academy in Corpus Christi and spend me some money for free fish'n stuff. Buy me some new fish'n string.

Monday, April 9, 2012

Well here it are another day. The start of a new week. Feel the pressure???

To start things off on the right foot, I got an email from Amazon advising me my brand spank'n new camera had been shipped. That sounds like good news don't it? Well, it ain't. They shipped it via USPS and not UPS. USPS does not have delivery to the address I'm at....a County road in the boonies. All mail is delivered to a post office box down town. Soooo, what can I do? My first attempt to remedy the situation will be to go see the postmaster to see if they will hold the package for pick up on the arrival date. Should be a simple procedure, but you know how the government works.

Now let's talk bout good ol' Amazon, the dot com people. If'n ya ain't never deal with them, you are missing a wonderful experience. Not only do you get great prices on most anything ya purchase, they ship within 2 days and their customer service is outstand'n. Like this camera deal. I emailed them, being concerned bout how I were gonna get my delivery of the camera. To my surprise, I received an email back this morn'n stating they were very sorry they had shipped by USPS and not UPS, and then gave me a $13 refund for the shipping costs ....what I wasn't charged with in the first place. They offered to ship me another camera....with free UPS shipping....then reimburse my CC account when they receive the first camera back from USPS. I'll try the postmaster deal first.

My God it was cold this morn'n. I waked up with cold feets an' says....what the hell??? It were 55 degs out there an' not much more inside. But now the sun is shin'n, ain't no wind and I got a ton of stuff to do today. Betcha I only get bout a hunnert pounds worth done before the day is done.

Was sit'n outside last night with nephews and nieces in laws....couple kids....sip'n a cup ya know, when that damn silly goat grab holt to my hair. He was gonna eat my hair. Tried to bite my elbow too. Don't nobody ever feed this goat? "Git way from me you damn goat".

Ok....let's get this day roll'n.....things to do ya know. I may or may not be back later.
*****************************************************************************

Made me a trip up to the post office an' give the nice guy my "I don't know what to do" routine bout that shipment what is com'n in. He took my name, driver license number, phone number, age an' height, color eyes and all that stuff and assured me he would attempt to get the package to me. I have a tracking number so maybe I can meet the mail delivery truck when it comes in.

While I was out, went by the lumber yard and bought me some pretty brown door sweep to put on the front of the kitchen cabinet. Don't look too bad for a rookie.

Then I went on up to the auto parts sell'n place an' bought me up a can of pressurized ATV silicon for the slide out repair. Never knowed they had that stuff in a pressurized can.....learn something new every day. Glued the seal in place an' gonna wait a day or so before I operate the slide....good an' cured up by that time. Gonna be just like brand spank'n new...I betcha a quarter.

When I let the slide back down, everything gona be hunkie dory....no leak water maybe. Clean up and touch up after I make sure I got a 100% satisfaction fix.

Sunday, April 8, 2012

Boy howdy Billy Bob, ya got to git a calendar so's ya know what day it is. Easter is today, Sunday, not yesterday Saturday. Sheesh!!!! Now how you suppose I did that? I could write a long explanation to why I thought yesterday was Easter, but there ain't no sense do'n that 'cause everybody already knows....CRS or something like that. But it is kind of embarrass'n to wish somebody "happy birthday" when it was 2 weeks ago.
"Happy Easter everbody from Billy Bob's house".

See what I'm talk'n bout? I opened my mouth yesterday talk'n bout blog traffic with the original intention to 'splain the numbers on your hit meters....an' to bust a few bubbles for those what think those numbers is an accurate indication of visitors. But as usual, what I had envisioned in my mind as a rational explanation of numbers sounded more like I was "whinn'n" and complain'n bout the number of comments "Billy Bob's Place" gets. "Ya just need to just shut up Billy Bob, shut up before ya put your other foot in yer mouth".

Since yesterday was Easter....in Billy Bob's mind, I kind of took it easy, not to over exert ya know. I goes outside an take a close look at that bedroom slide out with the sealing gasket hang'n out. Well shoot, it were worster than I expect. Pulled loose half ways across the bottom. Now glue'n the seal back in place ain't gonna remedy the cause...right? Now take a guess where all the adjustments and the mechanism that operates the slide is located. Yup, you was right, up under the bed. This ain't gonna be a easy "fix" I betcha.

Beds in an RV ain't like no ordinary bed like in a house, what you can move out the way an' fix stuff. They are a "box" with a freak'n mattress on top it. Stapled together instead of screws. The whole thing has to be took apart to gain access to the slide out rails, adjuster thingys, motor an' such. See all that crap under my bed? Where I gonna put all that stuff while I'm tear'n my bed apart? "Sheesh Billi Bob, ya got way too much stuff".

I were think'n bout all these little repairs an' fix's I got to do to "da house". It ain't like I got to be anywhere's in the near future....although I sure would like to head on up to the lake an' do some fish'n in a cooler climate. But what the hell, I ain't got no rent to pay at "El Rancho Abraham's RV Resort", cheap electricity, free food from nephew Joseph, golf and fish'n near by, just down the road a piece to my Walmart stores....yeah boy howdy....what more could a guy ask for??? "Fix something Billy Bob".

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Remember back when it was kosher to hide that one special egg that wasn't boiled? Then told all the egg hunt'n kids they had to crack their eggs on top their heads before they could eat them? What? You never did that? Boy howdy, what's this world com'n to.

Yesterday turn out a little better than I thought it would. Round bout 4pm I got me the urge to get up and do some dishes and clean up "da house" a little. It needed it that for sure. Tossed all the tools lay'n on the floor slap out the door....right out there in the yard. They easier to sort out when they lay'n in a big ol' pile like that....ya know. Now how long they gonna lay out there before they are stowed in their rightful places? Day, two days....a week? Don't really matter I rekon since that damn goat don't eat tools.....or does he? Well, he did eat my air conditioning filter. Ate the whole damn thing. Stupit goat!

Let's talk bout blogs for a bit. Does you blog receive the traffic you expect? How do ya really know? My blog receives right at 180 hits a day. That sounds reasonable don't it? Well, most of those hits are "robots", little programs from ISPs, search engines and such. So a hit counter is of little use if you are try'n to count visitors that actually read your blog. The only true indication of readership and blog quality is through the comments you receive. No comments mean you are not touching the heart and souls of those that read. Now some people never leave a comment....what gives me the indication that my writing abilities need improvement, or my choice of content needs reconsideration. Or....the old Billy Bob just plain ol' pissed somebody off. That happens ya know.

I find the most interesting blogs are the ones that give an account of every day life. I don't especially care for the "cut and paste" blogs, although I still read them.....somewhat. I usually don't do the video links unless they are something special. I love to read blogs with photos....."Ahhh Billy Bob, where's all your photos"?

Some of the things I really want to do and places I really want to go seem to be way off in the distant future. Well, I ain't got that much distant future left....according to my frick'n Dr. Fronkinstein. Have ya ever had a doctor you just don't like? But he's one of the best in his field? All my life I have shied away from all doctors, unless I thought I was gonna die or something like that. When I had my last heart attack (2008), I sat on the couch for over 6 hours before I called "pesky neighbor" Wayne to take me to the hospital. Then when I got there, the silly nurse says...."why the hell you wait so long"? So now, I got to be "very very careful"....think it was Elmer Fudd said that. My travels need to be planned around hospitals with in close proximity of my camp sites. You know, less than a hunnert mile.

On the agenda for the rest of the day.....Hmmmmmm, let me think bout that. I need to make a trip to Walmart to get my drugs refilled. I'm slap out of bread. Milk is sour. Ain't got no lunch meat. Peanut butter and strawberry jam is get'n low. Why don't Walmart carry Smukers strawberry preserves? All they got is jam an' I don't want freak'n jam.
Oh....that reminds me.....do you eat "pink slime"? I been notice when I cook up some hamburger, nasty look'n stuff come out of it. Is that pink slime? How do ya know what's in your hamburger? Do ya think the meat department is gonna tell ya the truth when ya ask if they have that nasty stuff in the meats? I don't care what they say bout it being safe to eat, I don't want "pink slime" in my diet. Shoot, bugs an' possums are safe to eat too....but I don't want them neither.

Friday, April 6, 2012

Today is a repeat of yesterday....a duplicate. The old bones are still sore and the scrapes and bruises are mend'n.

Now I ask myself, why would a person abuse his self the way way I do? Mostly it could be called impatience, or in short, "bullheadedness". Ya see, all my life when I got something to do (a project) I jump head first, both feet, right into it, not considering what the outcome may be. In the end, I end up with aches and pains, cuts and bruises, from "not pay'n 'tention" to what I'm do'n. Get in too much of a hurry when I got all the time in the world.

Speak'n of slide outs, I were walk'n round "da house" an' notice the bedroom slide has an issue what needs immediate attention before the next rains.

This should be a fairly easy fix with a tube of RTV silicone to glue the seal back in place. But if you look real close, the fiberglass is also cracked.....on both ends of the slide out.. As any RV'er would know, if water gets in through those cracks, you gonna get bubbles, otherwise knowed as delamination (fiberglass separates from the plywood). "So how ya gonna fix that Billy Bob"? Well, I gonna have to think on that a while. Why did the seal pull loose and why is the fiberglass cracked?? Is there a problem I can't see from the outside?

If you're getting tired of read'n bout all my repairs, I'm sorry. But that what I do....fix stuff. It's either fix it or let "da house" fall apart. Fix'n stuff can be an adventure ya know, so bear with me while I put "da house" an' "that jeep" back in tip top shape. LOL to put'n "that jeep" in tip top shape. Piece of junk!!!

As long as it will fit in my pocket and takes good pics, that what I want.

Well shoot, that was easy, but I fount a better quality (16mp 5x zoom) for a few bucks more. Be here in a week with free shipping.
Also need a couple pressure switches for the emergency park brake on "da house". These are spares just in case one goes out cruis'n down the road a hunnert mile a hour. I've had 4 go out in the last 7 1/2 years. When they go out, you don't go nowheres.

Thursday, April 5, 2012

I was lay'n there in bed this morn'n think'n....what if I stay in bed till lunch time? I could do that ya know and not feel a bit guilty. But there are a few things I want to do today before half of it is gone. Mostly to pick up all my tools and chunks of wood an' stuff scattered all over the place. I'll get Bubba to pick up and stack the concrete blocks, put the house jacks back in the storage shed.....I can do the rest. Then I can sit back and say "another job well done".

As far as fun things to do, I'm on hold. Got to concentrate on fix'n stuff what is either broke or is gonna break. By the way, "that jeep" has got a refrigerant leak on the air conditioning. When you are in an area of high temps and high humidity you gonna appreciate cold air blow'n in your face. Open winders don't cut it like they do in the desert. I remember one time I was leav'n Calif. on my way back to the Texas coast. I turn the dash air on and "nuttin"....only blow hot air. It were a 1200 mile trip through some the hottest parts of America. so's I open all the winders, set the cruise on a hunnert an' let 'er eat. All the ways across Arizona, New Mexico and west Texas I was comfortable. Then I hit the Texas hill country. It was pure misery for the next 300 mile or so to Port Aransas. Sweat was pour off me like I was in a sauna....or something like that.
Got to fix the dash air in "that jeep".

Actually I like fix'n stuff. It's what it does to my body what I don't like. If my lower back and right hip would hold up to all the lift'n an' stuff, I would probably build me a little shack somewheres. Not to live in....just to be building something. I rekon I got sawdust and nails in my blood. Not much makes a man feel better than to step back and look at his accomplishments. Maybe one day I'll get the chance to build my RV shelter.

Dang....took almost an hour to post these pics.......maybe I should be do'n something else.

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

I rekon we gonna be talk'n bout this slide out room repair again today. Yesterdays photos do not show the floor damage I have to work with. It's not good.

Here is the roller that was jammed up against the hardwood flooring. As you can see, it ain't jammed no more.

These next two photos are the best shots I can get of the rotted floor with the roller removed. Don't look too bad huh? Until you enlarge them.

So, as you can see, the old Billy Bob is got some engineering to do. Probably gonna be some redneck jigger rig'n by the time all is said an' done.

Before we get to far alone on this project, I got to splain one important item. Yes, the rotted flooring needs replaced. But to replace it, the entire slide out room would have to be removed.....fork lift. In order to remove the slide out, the lower cabinet has to be removed to gain access to the end seal trim, which also acts as a stop so's ya don't over extend the slide. Then the kitchen hardwood flooring would have to be removed and replaced. Not a job for a 70 year old what don't own a fork lift. "Jigger rig it Billy Bob".

I want to thank Riverhauler and BBC for their repair suggestions of using a steel or aluminum plate. This may be the end result if my plywood repair don't work out. Also want to thank BBC for the tip on making my own plastic filler. That will come in handy on many projects I get myself into.

Ok....time to get to work.....make sure you check back as work progresses.
Oh, did I mention I feel like I been beat "wit a stik".
*****************************************************************************
11:00am
Boy howdy let me tell ya, that old Billy Bob is one lucky sum-a-gun. Made my "redneck gigger rig" roller repair, let the weight of the room down on it, crossed fingers, toes an' eyes and hit the button. That slide out come slap in "da house" just like it were brand spank'n new. Made 4 test runs in and out....work perfect. Although I heared a noise I ain't never hear before. The slide is right at 1/4 inches high on the kitchen side, but no one ever gonna know bout it. Now to finish the project off, I need to go to the lumber yard (Home Depot or Lowes) and find some nice look'n door sweep to install on the front of the cabinet.Then it a done deal. "Check that noise Billy Bob, may be something important".
Now who the hell gonna clean up this mess. Tools, boards an' sticks lay'n everywheres.

One last photo of a Billy Bob redneck gigger rig rotted floor slide out roller repair.

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Well, it looks like I got to make another important decision again today. With the help of OFM Barney, yesterdays important decision to go eat at San Juan's Mexican Restaurant in Port Aransas was a total success. That old Barney can surely put some food away. Clean his plate up lickity split. I were just bout half done with my "sizzl'n fajitas" when I see old Barney eye ball's my shrimps. Yes I shared.

Put'n plans down on a piece of paper seems to always pay off in the long run. We talk'n slide out repairs here ya know. Ya see, I got to raise the slide out room as far up as it will go, what ain't but a couple inches, to get to the rollers it sits on. Straight up with a little tilt out at the bottom. Last night, me and Bubba toted some concrete blocks to build a base for the house jacks (railroad jacks). Photos will be posted as we progress into this dreaded job.

One characteristic of a Jeep is called the "death wobble". Usually caused by worn bushings and grommets in the front suspension. It grows worse when modifications have been made, like lift kits, oversized tires, and in my case, replacing standard suspension with long arm suspension. When I bought "that jeep", it had all the above....even the "death wobble". You can google death wobble to see what I'm talk'n bout. This repair project will wait till more "repair" research is done.

Ok....things to do ya know....laters.

See what I was tell'n ya...I got photos.

Got to the rollers, but no way to remove any of them. The first 2 pics show the rollers against the flooring. That's not good as it stops them from rolling. How to fix that? You watch old Billy Bob break out his wood chisels....cut that floor'n slap out the way. *Knock on wood*

This last roller has an issue. Due to infiltration of water, the sub floor has softened and the roller sinked into it bout a quarter inch. "Let me see ya fix that Billy Bob". Gonna be do'n some think'n on that. Since the sub floor is soft, I should be able to prys the screws out with no problem. Then shim up the roller with a couple pieces of 3/8 inches plywood......what ya think?

Monday, April 2, 2012

Holy cows, how do ya write a blog post when you're sit'n in your nephews yard with a goat want'n to come in "da house"? That freak'n goat met me at the gate as soon as I pulled up to "El Rancho Abraham". Wouldn't move....just stood there, right in my way. Stupit goat.

We all know why I am here, back on the coast. To fix stuff. Stuff does break down from time to time and we have to take time out of our lives to do a few repairs if we desire to continue to live the "easy life". The easy life is not all that easy. And then there's maintenance issues that should be taken care of too....break pads on "da house", repack front wheel bearings, replace tires....boy howdy, that $2000 plus. Then there's "that jeep" what always needs something done to it. Got that shimmy in the front end ya know. Bad shimmy....shake your liver loose.

When I arrived in Sinton yesterday afternoon I decided I would lay back and relax a bit. Boy howdy let me tell ya, I took me a nap of naps. After supper, courtesy of neice in law, I laid down on the couch. Sleeped all the ways up to 9:30pm. Got up and says...."how I gonna get to sleep when I go to bed"? Weren't no problem. Out like a light.

Got a few important phone calls to make today. Maybe drive "that jeep" over to the island and pick up my mail. Maybe toss a hook in the water. Eat me up a afternoon dinner at San Juan's Mexican Restaurant. Yeah, I could do that.

Got lots of plan'n to do before I tackle the slide problem. Safety is at issue. Sure don't want that thing lay'n out there in the yard on top old Billy Bob. Which is highly improbable. Nephew will be back from the oil fields in a few more days, so I may just wait for his assistance. Him do the work while I supervise. Will post pics as work progresses.

Ok....on with my day
*************************************************************************

Just for Tammy in the comments.....here is a pic of the goat

It's nice to have friends help make important decisions. Afternoon dinner (2pm) with the OFM Barney in Port Aransas at San Juan Mexican Restaurant. Boy howdy, old Billy Bob gonna eat me up some sizzl'n fajitas.

Sunday, April 1, 2012

There comes a time in every mans life when he has to make an important decision. Mine comes at a time when I am having way toooo much fun.

This is what I am leaving behind .....that one nice fish even if'n I do say so myself. What ya rekon that big mama weighs? A hunnert pounds?

Today is departure day for the OFM Barney and Billy Bob.....go'n down the road a piece ya know. The decision I have to make this morning is if Im gonna extend my stay at Falcon Lake for a few more days or head 'em up to the Gulf coast and get a job repairing motor homes.

Ya see, my slide out has got to the point that it needs physical man power assistance to retract back into "da house". This should be a simple fix since the slide out floats in the hole with 4 or 5 rollers under it. Simple??? Oh no, not so simple to get to the rollers with close to 1000 pounds sit'n on top them. The slide has to be raised or taken completely out. To take it completely out, I will need to go to Walmart and purchase a fork lift.
"That's all I have to say bout that".....GUMP

9:am....
Decision has been made. Go'n on down the road a piece. I've catched up enough bass fish to call this a successful trip. I've enjoyed to weather....other than the winds. Have gotten used to the gun shoot'n 2 or 3 times a week in the little town of Falcon Heights, hot rod cars spin'n donuts at the intersection. Yeah, I think I may be back here next winter.

In the mean time...."load 'em up Billy Bob". See ya down the road.
***************************************************************************
See, I tole ya so. For everybody what thought old Billy Bob was gonna set up homestead at Falcon Lake, I didn't. On up the road a piece bout a hunnert mile with only a hunnert more to go. Sadie Mae says...."where we go'n daddy"???

3:50pm....arrival Sinton, Texas
Well shoot....that didn't take long. Seems like just this morn'n I was decid'n if'n I wanted to make one last try for that elusive 14 pounds bass. Probably would have got him too I betcha.

Took a different route from Falcon Heights to Sinton than the way I went down. Much better road....with the exception of 30 miles of dug up highway. I ain't kid'n neither, they done dug all the blacktop out down to dirt. There was 8 to 10 feets of rough shoulder what was better than driv'n 60 mile a hour on the dirt.

Took one rest break in some little "don't blink yer eyes" burg. Fount me a 12 feets ling piece of 2" inside diameter PVC pipe. Now what I gonna make out of that? I betcha I think of something.

About Me

Ya ain't talk'n to an ordinary man when ya view my blog. I'm different.
Retired a few years ago and been "on the road again" ever since. I have a 35 foot motor home what is pretty much self contained for off grid boondocking. I make stuff and enjoy life for what it is.